Cloaked in Red
Well, people I read the reviews and I couldn't leave you hanging I had to get those last few things tied up. We all know how the 3rd season begins and I had to get Clark and Chloe back to a strained friendship. So I hope you all like this. I'll do have some other Chlark stories, should I put them up? If so let me know in a review. Oh and I am going to take a second to thank all my reviewers. So hear it goes, Thank You's go to the following people: Jewel, Kathy, The Wander, Star999, Insatiable, Rebel Goddess, AutumnGold and Perlenoire99. Seriously thank you so much for your reviews. I love Clark and Chloe and as I watched the 2nd season DVD's episode 22, Calling. You know at the end when Chloe sees Clark and Lana kissing I cried! Oh I am such a dork. Chloe you have your loyal fans and we love you! Scream it with me peoples: CHLARK FOREVER!
Luv Always
Ryoko
Chp. 5 Fear and Love.
Clark woke late Monday morning. He moved his arm lazily over the left side of his bed and felt nothing. She had left. Slowly, he let his eyes open. Clark turned his head to look at the empty side of the bed. She'd left, damn she really left, he thought. Last night they'd had sex again. The ring hadn't returned to his finger at all the rest of that weekend. It really hadn't been a whole weekend together but it was long enough to make him want to go home. Make him want to return to his real life, not stay in this world of lies. Still deep down his alter ego called him. Clark sat up and yawned into his hands. He looked around his apartment and he knew he should get up but he instead let his head fall back to the pillows. As he stared up at the ceiling he let last night replay in his mind.
Clark looked at the pillow Chloe had used to sleep on. As he brought it to him he could smell her skin again. It was so calming. He had someone he trusted and cared about here with him. He smiled as he remembered how they talked till she'd fallen asleep. Clark then focused on the dresser next to his bed. The ring was still in there. He let his eyes stare through the wood, there a small piece of meteor rock lay, and it could change him from sweet farm boy to megalomaniac in seconds. Clark stood up and walked to the bathroom.
Chloe was still shlepping coffee for her boss at the Daily Planet. Only now she had a huge grin on her face for most of the day. Still deep down her soul nagged her to tell someone, but she remembered the promise she made him. It was killing her, so as she sat there spell checking an article she decided to take five an email herself. Okay it was a stupid thing to do but at least she wasn't so edgy. She looked at the clock and couldn't wait to see 5p.m. it was still a few hours away.
Clark cleaned his apartment and then sat around for an hour. He was nervous and he just couldn't get this weird feeling Chloe was gonna let everyone know where he was. He looked at the phone and again he wanted to talk to his mother. Just for a second, hear her soothing voice; his heart was falling apart just remembering what he had caused her and his father to lose. He hated himself and even worse he almost wished he's never made it a live to this planet. He sat down at his desk and stared at the phone and he remembered how he felt when she laid in the hospital on the fringes of death, he hadn't lost her but he remembered all the fear he had felt. She had to hate him; he'd taken her only real child from her. Damnit, he needed to tell her, he was sorry.
Clark looked at his watch and saw the time, it was 3:30, he decided to drive into the heart of Metropolis and wait for Chloe. Half an hour had passed and Clark Parked the car about a half a block from the Planet, he quickly text messaged Chloe that he'd meet her at Jim's across from the Planet.
While he walked along the busy streets of Metropolis he looked around and watched the various people the business types, woman, teenagers, and punks. The thing that had made him stop in his tracks was a sight that he remembered being in at one time in his life. Clark watched as a mother and son were walking, holding hands and the mother was talking while the boy laughed. He saw himself and his mother in those other people's roles for just a second and he felt a pain deep within himself. Clark nervously raised his hand to his stomach and grimaced. He looked around for the closest phone booth. He fished in his pocket for the correct change then dialed his parent's home.
Four rings past and not answer he was about to hang up hen he heard the message begin, it was his mother's voice. "Hi, this is the Kent residence sorry we must be out at the moment but please leave a message for either Jonathan, myself or Clark, Thank you."
They hadn't taken his name out of the outgoing message. He felt frog in his throat and cleared it quickly as he heard the all famous beep, "Uh, mom, I just called to apologize. I'm, I'm, I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you and dad. There's…."
Martha sat in her kitchen and for the tenth time the phone rang. She didn't want to deal with another person. Everything had been bothering her today. She's snapped at Jonathan first thing this morning and she hadn't seen him since around noon when he said he had an errand to run and he'd be gone until dark. She had never said it but part of her blamed him for Clark leaving. Every night since she'd some home from the hospital she would go into Clark's room and cry. She missed him. Every bit of him from his bad habit of over sleeping to his ever present smile when he was trying to get out of doing something he knew was wrong. She most of all missed his voice and his "Love ya mom," every morning as he'd run out of the house to do farm chores.
Martha looked at the phone and rolled her eyes as the final ring before the message beeped on. She had walked over to the phone waiting to hear the person calling. Then she heard a voice that made her tear up.
"Uh, mom, I just called to apologize. I'm, I'm, I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you and dad. There's…"
Martha picked up the phone and said, "Clark, sweetie, oh God, baby please just come home."
"Mom," Clark's voice broke when he heard her plea.
"Yes, Clark, where are you? Why haven't you called? Just tell me where you are. I'll get you myself."
"No, mom, I just called to…"
"I don't care about that, it wasn't your fault. No one ever blamed you."
"Dad did, you didn't see him."
"No, he didn't mean it. Clark, he was upset, he never meant it. Please just come home."
"I can't mom not yet, I can't even forgive myself. I just called to tell you I was sorry and that I love you."
Clark felt a few tears form; they fell as he hung up the phone. He stood there for a moment and then wiped his face free of tears. Clark took a few deep breaths and regained his composure. He walked over to the greasy spoon that stood across from the daily planet and waited for Chloe.
Chloe was practically running out of the building when she thought she heard her name called. Chloe stopped and looked around and there in the far end of the lobby stood Mr. Kent. Chloe felt all the blood leave her face. Instantly she began to formulate a lie as Mr. Kent neared her. A fake smile plastered on her face and she spoke, "Hi, Mr. Kent, what brings you to Metropolis?"
"Chloe, you know what brought me here. Those reports on possible sightings of Clark, you had promised to bring those home this weekend. Martha and I waited all weekend to see you. What happened?"
"I got a little side tracked, my cousin wanted me to stay this weekend and actually as she claims 'do something very teenager.'"
"I know you really shouldn't be too worried about Clark but…"
"Mr. Kent, I don't know how you can even think that I don't care about Clark as much you. I care; I care a whole damn lot. I can't see life without him. I have those reports and I just sent them off this afternoon in the late mail batch, so it may not be sent till tomorrow. I even sent a letter explaining why they were late."
Jonathan raised his arm and said, "Will you calm down. I didn't mean it that way; it's just been really hard. I miss him and so does his mother. He's our son, Chloe and we love him, I just hope he knows that."
Chloe felt like telling him everything right there at that second. She could see the hurt in his eyes. Mr. Kent looked like he'd aged a few years since the last time she'd seen him. Chloe gave Mr. Kent a sad smile then hugged him and said, "He does, I know he does, he has to."
Mr. Kent returned the sad smile and said, "Thanks Chloe. I'd better get going. Martha's gonna kill me if I don't get home before it gets too late."
Chloe stood there and watched as Mr. Kent walked out of the lobby. Quickly, she ran back to the elevator and back up to her desk to send off those reports she'd promised.
Clark sat in a window table so that Chloe could see him when she crossed the street. He was staring at the menu when something told him to look up. As he did his gaze came to rest on the steps of the Planet. There he saw his father stepping of the last step and walking the opposite way of the restaurant. Damn her, he thought. Clark walked out of the diner and became a blur.
Chloe had just finished her task and pushed the button for the elevator. She looked at her watch and saw that she was fifteen minutes late. Damn, oh well let Clark get a taste of his own medicine, she smiled to herself as she pictured him sitting there staring at his watch and looking out the window. A ding sounded and the elevator doors opened, there stood Clark in the elevator. He didn't look to happy. Chloe frowned and asked, "What's with the long face? You didn't like waiting, I gather?"
Clark's face didn't let up and Chloe could swear she saw his jaw become harder as she neared him. Chloe playfully nudged him and said in an annoyingly playful tone, "Awe little Clarky, no likey to waity waity."
Clark looked at her and she could swear she saw flames forming in his eyes. When they reached the lobby, Clark grabbed her hand and practically dragged her out of the building. Chloe was now getting more than a little pissed herself. When they began to walk away from the food joint Chloe snatched her hand away from Clark's and said, "Okay what the hell is going on here Mr. McPissy pants."
"How can you even ask me that?! You know damn well what I'm pissed about. Chloe, I saw him. I saw my father."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Chloe was going to play dumb although she knew she really couldn't do that well. She didn't tell anyone but herself; in all technicalities she hadn't broken her promise.
"Chloe, I can't believe you. Why'd you do this to me?"
"Do what? Clark, I didn't tell him anything. He came here on his own!"
Clark had never wanted to tell Chloe to leave him alone as much as he did now. Somehow, he couldn't, instead he looked around and saw that a few people had stopped to stare at them. Clark took a deep breath and said, "This time I gave you everything and you threw it away. Damn it Chloe, I trusted you."
Chloe stood there angry for getting blamed for something she hadn't done. She'd never do this to him why couldn't he trust her? Clark looked at her; his angry face changed to hurt. He stood there staring at her for a moment and then turned to walk away.
Chloe chased after him all the way back to the car. As Clark was opening the driver's side door Chloe called to him from outside the passenger door, "C'mon Clark open the door."
Clark sat in silence staring at the steering wheel. Again Chloe called to him only this time she tapped the window lightly and gave an expectant look. Clark looked over at her and then back at the steering wheel. When she again called his name Clark put the key in the ignition. Chloe now was beating on the window and screaming at him. Clark looked at her one more time then drove off.
Chloe was cursing herself as she reached the dorm in a taxi. She quickly paid then ran over to her car and headed to Clark's place.
Clark had just walked into his home when he heard the voice in his head say, "Put it back on, and I promise I'll let you forget everything that has just happened."
Clark shook his head and sat down on his couch. Minutes passed ad he sat there and doing his best to ignore the voice. These were false promises; not a word would be true because he knew he'd remember. Eventually everything would come back to haunt him. Suddenly he heard Chloe banging on the door and screaming at him.
"Clark let me in! I'm serious Clark just let me in. Open up!" screamed Chloe.
The door flew open and Clark looked angry again. He reached out and pulled her in the building by her upper arm. Chloe squeaked out a small surprised scream and then she was pinned to the wall. Clark slowly rubbed his cheek on hers and whispered, "I told you I'd kill you if I saw another person from Smallville here in Metropolis."
Chloe's breath caught and she stammered, " I told you I didn't call him here. You haven't been as careful as you thought. Other people have seen you. I didn't tell anyone, I swear!"
"I told you before stupid isn't your shtick, so quit acting like you're innocent, you know what's coming."
Clark pulled back from her and let a smirk spread across his face. He let his right hand slowly trace up her arm and his smirk became a full on smile as his hand reached her neck, softly he brushed away a rogue strand of her blonde hair. He leaned in and kissed her neck then whispered, "And you were a true hell cat in bed too."
Chloe shoved him back and tried to open the door that was next to her, but his hand blocked it. She kept pulling at the door knob with no budge. She felt his warm breath on her shoulder and for the first time she was beginning to think his threat wasn't one. She spun around and shoved him again with more force and he stumbled back.
"You know that's a reason I always liked you, you're a fighter." Said Clark with amusement in his voice; again he headed towards Chloe when he grunted. His hand rose to his side and he fell to the ground.
Chloe now had the door open and was about to run out when she heard Clark groan in pain. She stopped and looked over to see him on the floor. She was still scared of him but at the same time she remembered the last time he was like this. She wanted to run over to him but instead stood there watching him writhe in pain.
Clark gritted his teeth as each pain hit him harder. Inside his head he heard his own voice scream, "Don't hurt her. I'll kill you if you do."
Still on the floor, Clark was gasping for air. He looked over to see Chloe watching him. He could see tears in her eyes. Again another sharp pain spread over him and he reached out his arm and screamed, "Chloe, help me! Please!"
Chloe broke and tears fell from her eyes, she stepped closer to him and as she heard him again call to her she dropped to her knees. Chloe touched his arm slowly and said, "What do you want me to do Clark?"
"I don't know, God Chloe just help me!"
Chloe's hand slowly touched his cheek and suddenly spoke, "Clark I never told your dad about you. He came here himself. I'll never tell anyone, I would never hurt you like that. Don't you understand I love you?"
Clark stopped screaming and suddenly his body went limp. Chloe shook him but he had passed out. She sat on the floor with his head in her lap and cried.
In the morning Clark woke on the floor. He remembered last night and shook his head. Damn it he hated himself for letting that damn girl bring down all his defenses. He looked at his finger and saw the ring was still on. As he sat up and looked around the room he saw a piece of paper folded on the desk next to his phone. On the paper was his name scrawled out in Chloe's hand writing; he opened the note and read it.
Clark,
I don't know what's happening with you but all I do know is that you have scared me beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I can't be around you when you're not the person I thought I knew. I'll contact you when there's something you need to know. I love you.
Chloe
Clark stood there taking in those last three words, he'd always known. Those words were his saving grace.
Epilogue
It had been almost a month since Chloe had seen Clark. They'd talked on the phone but she couldn't bring herself to be in the same room with him again. This past week a memorial service had been held for Lex. Chloe didn't know Clark had attended until she'd talked to Lana a day or so later. Things had gotten worse for the Kent's and it was painful to see them losing the farm and missing their son. Chloe knew she had to see him just one last time, he needed to know.